It’s that time of year again when veg plot productivity is fairly quiet, and fresh vegetables tend to be of the allium and brassica variety. For me, that’s not an issue, as leek soup is one of my favourite homemade wintertime treats.
Leek and potato soup relies on five key ingredients – fantastically fresh and flavoursome onions and leeks (that’s why fresh and homegrown make such amazing soups), fluffy potatoes, zingy garlic that’s been properly stored (musty garlic will ruin the soup), and in my opinion, only Marigold bouillion powder will do as the veg stock.
Here’s my insanely easy leek, potato and garlic soup recipe:
Vegan Leek and Potato Soup Recipe
Makes 2 Large Servings
Ingredients
2 large leeks
1 large onion
2 garlic cloves
2 small-medium fluffy potatoes, eg Maris Piper, Albert Bartlett Rooster, Desiree
2 large heaped tablespoons of Marigold bouillion powder*
Olive oil – mild and light blend (you can use virgin olive oil for a little extra flavour if preferred)
Dried Mixed Herbs to season
Ground cayenne pepper to season
Cracked black pepper to season
*probably any vegetable stock will do the job, but Marigold is my absolute favourite. I use the vegan variety – but it’s worth noting that the green ‘normal’ variety tends to be a little more salty, so you’ll probably need less
Method
1. In a large saucepan, sweat the onions and garlic in a light and mild olive oil blend – keep the lid on!
2. Add the chopped leeks to sweat for a few more minutes, before adding the chopped potatoes and enough boiling water to cover the ingredients in.
3. Mix in the Marigold veg stock, and add the mixed herbs and all seasoning. I like heavy seasoning, so I add at least two big shakes of cayenne pepper and a large amount of cracked black pepper and dried mixed herbs.
4. Bring to the boil and then simmer for about 10-15 minutes. When the potato is soft and crumbly, take the saucepan off the heat and blend with a hand blender. Watch out for hot splatters!
5. Serve with homemade crusty bread
The soup should keep for a day or two in the fridge, but if left to cool and served the following day, you may need to add a little extra water as the soup can thicken overnight.
